Marcus Beresford, 1st Earl of Tyrone

Marcus Beresford, 1st Earl of Tyrone (16 July 1694 – 4 April 1763), known as Sir Marcus Beresford, 4th Baronet until 1720 and subsequently as The Viscount Tyrone until 1746, was an Irish peer, freemason and politician.

He was the only son of Sir Tristram Beresford, 3rd Baronet and his wife Nichola Sophia Hamilton, youngest daughter of Hugh Hamilton, 1st Baron Hamilton of Glenawly.

In 1701 his father died and Beresford, aged only five succeeded to the baronetcy. His guardian was Marcus Trevor, 3rd Viscount Dungannon. After Marcus Trevor's death in 1706, his widow, Arabella Susanna Trevor, Viscountess Dungannon, served as Beresford's guardian.

In 1715, he entered the Irish House of Commons, sitting for Coleraine until 1720, when he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland with the titles Baron Beresford, of Beresford, in the County of Cavan, and Viscount Tyrone by King George I of Great Britain. A year later, he joined the Irish House of Lords. In 1736, he became Grandmaster of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, serving for the next two years. Beresford was further honoured in 1746, when he was created Earl of Tyrone.

On 18 July 1717, he married Catherine, only daughter of James Power, 3rd Earl of Tyrone and had by her seven sons and eight daughters. Beresford died at Tyrone House in Dublin and was succeeded in his titles by his fourth and oldest surviving son George.

His fifth son John was also a Member of Parliament and his seventh son William was ennobled in his own right as Baron Decies.

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